Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1887-01-07
OUR GREAT PURCHASE.
Tho Country Discovering the
Value of Alaska.
a Good Grazing and Vegetable District
Lumber. Fish aud Furs tho Great
Sources of Income-CoAl and
Metals Found.

While much of the soil of Alaska Is
undoubtedly fertile the statement needs
some qualification. 1t applies almos,
wholly to the islands and coast line Of
the south, and even there vegetation is
Table 10 suffer from excessive rains
Grain is sripened with difficulty, but grass
os and bcrr cs thrive almost everywhere.
Oh Kad nix Island fair crops of hay have
often been secured. Cattle and sheep
in considerable numbers have been
raised. The harder kinds of vegeta-
blcs can be grown. Lieutenant Scbwat-
ka, on his journey to the headwaters of
the Yukon, travcrsed regions whore the
grass was five feet high, with dande-
Ions rs big as astcrs and buttercups
twice the usual size. In these regions
the hills at the. same time were covered
half way down their rugged sides with
snow and ice. Berries were plentiful.
Governor Swineford, in recent inter-
view, said white turnips had been grown
in Alaska weighing ten pounds and cab
bagcs corrcspondingly large. The
country about Sitka is well enough
adapted, he says, to grazing purposes
to render unnecessary the Importation
of beef This would be true were the
population large enough to secure the
admission OF Alaska as a State. He re-
ports further that five miles above
Juneau City man from Maine last
year raised. and marketed sixty tons
of vegetables. Vegetables are said to
have been raised as far north as Fort
Yukon.
From the lumber supplies Of Alaska
great things may be expected in the
future. There are immense spruce
forests all along the southeastern coast
Forests may indeed be said to prevail at
intervals throughout most of the Terri
tory as far north as the Yukon valley.
llcmlock spruce is plentiful, and in the
Yukon district the white spruce abounds.
Ike yellow cedar, which is the most
valuable timber of the country, is found
In the southeast, where it frequently
ntlains height of one hundred feet and
n diameter of five or six feet. Consid-
srabc shipbuilding was carried on BY
the Russians, and Mr. Bancroft thinks
il not improbable that shipbuilding may
some day rank again among the fore
most industries Of Alaska. Coal and
iron are near ut hand.
OF great Importance are the fisheries
OF Alaska. Possibly the waters of this
region may some day become one of
the main sources Of the worlds supply.
From 5000 cases in 1880 the salmon
pack increased in 1888 to sc, 900, a Weld
worth about $3.50, ,0OO In 1885 the pack
was $4,000 cases. The average weight
of salmon after being cleaned Is Is
pounds. In flavor the Alaska fish Is
equal to the Scotch and Norwegian,
which are the best in the world. The |
supply is practically inexhaustiblc. On
the Yukon the run is immense. The
sealan lasts only about six weeks. Sew
eral cannerios have been started since |
the American purchase, and thcyhaye
been profitable. II is conjecturcd that
this industry may in time eclipse the
Columbia river enterprises altogether
Salmon is the chief food Of the natives.
who are thoughtto tassfrom l0.000, 600 |
TO l2,000,0 900 fish year, or three times
ms many as are required 10 supply all
the cannerios on the Pacific coast. The
Russian company exported annually 10
the Sandwich Islands from 100, 900 to
100, 900. Westward of Cook Inlet and
there are extensive cod banks
probably the largest In the world.
The area already known is more than
100000 square miles, The take OF cod
since 1870 has averaged about 500, 900
Rsh year. Halibut herring and mack